The Untapped New York Podcast
The Untapped New York Podcast is an award-winning podcast about New York City’s secrets, like how does a water tower work? Why does steam come out of the ground? Do alligators live in the subway? We impart our knowledge, interview experts, and in many cases, literally go behind the scenes. The Untapped New York Podcast was the 2025 GANYC Apple Award winner for Outstanding Achievement in NYC Radio Program or Podcast. Hosted by Michelle Young, founder, and Justin Rivers, Chief Experience Officer, at Untapped New York.
Episodes
30 episodes
NYC Secrets: The Barthman Clock Beneath Your Feet
Maybe you saw our latest Instagram reel that's going viral, making NYC horological history cool again! On the podcast, in honor of fall back time this week, we deep dive into the Ba...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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15:50
Secrets of Grand Central: Find the Hidden Mural in the Wine Shop
Did you know there's a mini version of Grand Central's ceiling mural inside the terminal's wine shop, Central Cellars? And that it used to be part of a movie theater? We talk to the experts: the authors of a book about the artist who did ...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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12:31
Secrets of Morningside Heights
Michelle Young and Justin Rivers of Untapped New York discuss the neighborhood of Morningside Heights. Michelle and Justin will discuss five hidden and unique spots including Columbia University's Alma Mater, the Guastavino Dome at the Cathedra...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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36:56
World's Fair Mosaics Removed from Flushing Meadows-Corona Park!
Sad news from Queens...After multiple patchwork repairs, a set of colorful mosaics depicting highlights from the 1939-40 and 1964-65 World's Fairs have been completely replaced with pavers. Michelle, Justin and Nicole discuss this piece of very...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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24:55
Pandas in NYC, Oh My!
In this episode, we’re talking about a very adorable secret: pandas in New York City! Who doesn’t love pandas? In fact, the story of how pandas came to America is deeply tied to New York City. We're joined by an expert on this story, Nathalia H...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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40:06
The Champagne Vaults in the Brooklyn Bridge
We delve into one of our favorite New York City secrets: the champagne and wine vaults inside the Brooklyn Bridge. If you haven't heard of this delicious tidbit, you're in for a ride through a bygone New York. If you do know about it, Michelle ...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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34:25
A WWII Resistance Spy and Her NYC Connections
A conversation between Michelle Young, Untapped New York's founder and Justin Rivers, our Chief Experience Officer, about Michelle's newest book, The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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56:12
Amelia Earhart's NYC Haunts
We’re kicking off season 4 of the Untapped New York Podcast with New York City literary sensation, Laurie Gwen Shapiro, whose newest book The Aviator and the Showman, just came out about Amelia Ear...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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43:07
Why is the FDR Drive Purple?
In the latest episode of the Untapped New York Podcast, Michelle Young, author, journalist, and the fo...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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30:20
A Harrowing Tale of NYPD Corruption, the Mafia and Murder
The new book The Blood and the Badge, by former New York Times editor Michael Cannell, chronicles a true tale of police corruption, mafi...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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27:22
The Stolen Queen: A Mystery Whodunnit Set in the Met Museum
The Stolen Queen, the newest historical fiction novel by New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, publishes today, January 7, and is set in the hallowed halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Ar...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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24:41
Secret New York: An Unusual Guide
The newest edition of Secret New York, An Unusual Guide, is out! Michelle Young, founder of Untapped New York and author of "Secret New York," interv...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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20:17
Take the 5: The Pets of NYC
This week's "Take the 5" podcast episode is all about the pets and animals of New York City. We recorded the episode on Election Day, not knowing who would become President. But regardless of the outcome at the time, we hoped it will be a respi...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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16:40
How Long Does It Take to Become a New Yorker?
The newest episode, "How Long Does it Take to Be a New Yorker?" features guest host, audio journalist Francisco Kilgore, and members get early access to the episode! Francisco is a more recent transplant to New York City, and spent many months ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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36:38
Take the 5: A Speakeasy Candy Store & all the latest news
The Untapped New York team is excited to revive our weekly (ish) show, Take the 5! In this short five(ish) minute episode, Michelle Young (Founder), Nicole Saraniero (Editor + Director of Events), and Justin Rivers (Chief Experience Of...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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13:53
Scaffolding in NYC: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
Ah...scaffolding. That ubiquitous, necessary, and perpetually present part of New York City’s landscape. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the history of scaffolding, reveal just how much scaffolding there is in the city, why it exists, h...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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1:00:40
NYC's Fire Alarm Call Boxes
In this episode, we do a deep dive into one of New York City’s most recognizable pieces of street furniture: fire alarm call boxes. You know what we're talking about. They're (often) red and sit prettily on sidewalks with the ability to call th...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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34:52
New York's Lost Opera Houses
New York City's lost opera houses are having their fifteen minutes of fame, thanks to the HBO show, The Gilded Age, which brought their ...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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1:02:57
The Main Streets of....NYC?
Did you know there's a Main Street in New York City? Most people probably associate the idea of Main Street with quaint American towns and villages but New York City has not just one but five Main Streets. Join Untapped New York's founder Miche...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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26:25
The World of Oppenheimer: From New York to Los Alamos
This episode is all about Oppenheimer, as the movie heads into the Academy Awards with thirteen Oscar nominations. Michelle Young and Justin Rivers from Untapped New York first delve into J. Robert Oppenheimer's early life in New York City wher...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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46:35
The Jazz Age Murder that Took Down NYC
When the young and beautiful Vivian Gordon was found strangled in Van Cortlandt Park in 1931, the case to find her killer unveiled the dark underbelly of New York City political power and policing. In this episode, author Michael Wolraich of th...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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49:34
The Bronx Nobody Knows
The newest episode of the Untapped New York podcast is out! Discover a dozen of the most interesting places in the Bronx, from the book The Bronx Nobody Knows: An Urban Walking Guide
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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57:20
The Untold Story of Staten Island's Black Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis
This episode of the Untapped New York podcast features a reading and interview with Maria Smilios, the author of the book The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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53:06
Take the 5: George Washington Bridge Opened This Week in 1931
In this week's Take the 5, Michelle and Justin discuss the anniversary of opening day of the George Washington Bridge along with a new alligator art installation you can find in Manhattan.The Untapped New York Podcast is produced ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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6:58
Take the 5: BQE Shut Down
What do all these three things have in common? Nothing except that they are all related to New York City! Welcome to our inaugural episode of Take the 5, our new weekly show of the weirdest, wackiest, wildest NYC news and other fun stuff. Hoste...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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11:42